EVALUATION OF FORAGE TURNIP + CEREAL MIXTURES FOR FORAGE YIELD AND QUALITY TRAITS

The most researches in temperate areas has focused mixtures of spring cereals with forage turnip. In this study, forage turnip “FT” with barley “B”, wheat “W” and oat “O” intercropping at different seed rates (100:0%, 75+25%, 50+50%, and 25+75%) were examined for hay yield, protein yield, relative feed value (RFV), condensed tannin, total phenolic, total flavonoid, and mineral contents (K, P, Ca, and Mg) 2019 and 2020 years. The experiment was arranged as a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications in Bilecik-Turkey. In combined years, the hay yield was ranged between 5.45-10.27 t ha-1. The protein yield was the highest in alone forage turnip (1.43 t ha-1), 75FT+25B% (1.72 t ha-1), 75FT+25O% (1.72 t ha-1), 50FT+50B% (1.49 t ha-1) and 50FT+50O% (1.80 t ha-1). The condensed tannin content was ranged between 1.82-2.83%. The highest RFV was observed in 25FT+75O% (136.29) and 50FT+50O% (125.42) mixtures. As a result, showed that intercropping forage turnip with barley and oat improved the yield and quality of the hay compared to their monocrops in the present study. Accordingly, forage turnip with barley and oat at 75+25% and 50+50% seed rates exhibited the best results regarding forage yield and quality in the Bilecik ecological conditions.